civil

The pavement, sidewalk, and drainage systems within the Main Street area of Westhampton Beach have reached the end of their useful life. In turn, the Village has requested replacement of the systems with potential stormwater quality improvements; as well as incorporating pedestrian safety features and an overall improvement of the Main Street area into the project. This project includes the total reconstruction of approximately 2,700 feet of roadway and sidewalks that are in need of replacement. The roadway width will be reduced to 60 feet, with a 12 foot wide travel lane in each direction, and on-street angled parking on each side of the roadway, with the benefit of creating potential future café seating space along the sidewalk. H2M had the existing drainage system piping video inspected and identified undersized and failing pipes. The inspection confirmed the need to replace the drainage system while the roadway is being replaced, or risk having pipe failure in the near future, which would require cutting into the new pavement. The current roadway drainage system goes directly into the Moniebogue Canal, which ultimately connects to Moriches Bay. To reduce the amount of stormwater that is carried into the canal, and to improve the quality of stormwater runoff, permeable paver surfaces in the utility strip and roadway gutter locations, tree box filters, and hydrodynamic vortex separators will be included in the project. As per the Village’s decision to remove overhead wiring between Mitchell Road and Mill Road, H2M is helping with the coordination process. The Village will have their contractor install buried structures and conduit for utility use in eliminating the overhead distribution. The elimination of the overhead utility poles also removes the existing attached cobrahead light fixtures, which is the major illumination source for the roadway. H2M landscape architects and electrical engineering departments will be designing replacement decorative street lighting to provide appropriate lighting for both pedestrians on the sidewalk, and drivers on the roadways.

The Waterways at Bay Pointe is a private community located in Moriches, New York. The roads throughout the community were over 30 years old and had fallen into a state of despair. H2M was retained to assess the condition of over two miles of roadway within the development and identify alternatives for repair and/or reconstruction. H2M engineers reviewed a geotechnical investigation of the roads and discovered that the existing pavement thickness was insufficient to support the anticipated vehicular roads. As a result, the overall pavement thickness needed to be increased. Several options were considered to address this condition. However, it was clear that the pavement needed to be replaced. Ultimately, the selected method of reconstruction included removal of the asphalt pavement while salvaging the underlying aggregate base material. The final design also included the replacement of all granite block curbs throughout the property. Although the individual granite blocks used to construct the curbs were too small to maintain structural integrity, H2M engineers were able to devise an alternate installation method that enabled all blocks to be salvaged. Utilizing methods that incorporated the existing base material and granite blocks into the final design provided a substantial costs savings to the HOA. The contract documents incorporated special provisions to accommodate the residents for this 55 and over community to maintain access to driveways, walkways and shared areas. The project was completed under budget and ahead of schedule.

H2M was retained for comprehensive civil engineering, land surveying and landscape architecture services for a 244 unit, ultra-luxury condominium project for RXR Realty. The project required approvals from Nassau County Department of Public Works, Nassau County Health Department, NYSDOT, NYSDEC and the New York State Department of State for minor variances from the NYS Fire Code. Due to the poor soils in the area, the project required the design of a unique storm drainage system utilizing injection wells penetrating through approximately 100 feet of poorly draining soils. The project is currently under construction.

The College of Staten Island called for reconstruction of two miles of roads including realignment of three roads, relocation of roadway lighting, installation of traffic calming elements, and new signage to improve safety. H2M was retained to assess the condition of the two-mile road that encircles the College of Staten Island campus and make recommendations to improve the physical construction and provide traffic calming measures. Originally the roads were in poor condition and included several sharp curves and steep gradients. These physical issues combined with limited drainage infrastructure, resulted in significant roadside erosion; and combined with younger drivers proudced a high accident rate. We recommended the installation of curbs and additional drainage infrastructure throughout the road to efficiently collect stormwater runoff and minimize erosion. In anticipation of increased vehicle and traffic volumes over the next 20 years, we also utilized a new pavement section, re-aligned sections of the road to provide additional buffers and pedestrian facilities, relocated existing roadway lighting, integrated crosswalks with speed humps, and implemented additional signage to provide trafic calming. The challenge of this project was the need to maintain access to all existing parking lots throughout the campus. Since work had to be completed while school was in session, losing access to parking lots was simply not an option. Therefore, we developed traffic maintenance and phasing plans that maintained access to all parking lots while still allowing parts of the road to be closed for construction.

The City of New Rochelle selected H2M to design improvements to existing drainage systems that serve a 2,000-acre watershed. The existing drainage system encompasses more than 5,900 linear feet of storm drain pipe which ranged in size from 12 to 66 inches in diameter, including a 55”x38” box culvert. Improvements were required to address significant flooding events within residential communities which occurred in 2007. A series of storms resulted in many homes and streets being flooded due to a drainage system which lacked the capacity to convey the intense rainfall. Portions of the existing drainage system were more than 100 years old and the system had been modified and extended numerous times since its original construction. As a result of this “piecemeal” construction, numerous types of unorthodox construction methodologies were utilized in order to connect the various sections of the drainage system. We conducted an accurate inventory and field survey of the existing drainage systems. This included a physical inspection of each accessible catch basin, manholes and junction boxes which comprise the system in order to verify pipe sizes and inverts. To supplement the visual inspection, video inspections and tracing dye were utilized to confirm pipe routing in areas where record information was unreliable. Once an accurate plan was developed for the existing system, appropriate improvements were designed based on a recent drainage study conducted by the City. Design improvements included combining parallel drainage lines, increasing pipe capacities and improvements to various drainage structures to improve hydraulics of the piping system. H2M prepared plans and specifications, and provided construction administration and inspection services for the project. This project was completed on schedule and within budget.

H2M provided land surveying, engineering, landscape architecture, and construction administration services for the Stony Brook University Medical Center. Consultants supporting H2M on this assignment included Dunn Engineering for traffic engineering services, and Desman Associates for parking design services. Two construction costs for the project was approximately $7.5 million and was completed in two phases (Package A and B). Package A was completed in June 2014 and included a new 630 stall parking field, traffic signal, and additional travel lanes along both sides of Pellegrino Road. In addition, improvements were made which extended the turn lanes at the Pellegrino Road and Health Sciences Drive intersection. Due to challenging terrain of the site, there were significant grading improvements within the Package A parking field as the vertical elevation in this area varied by over 30 feet in some locations. Package B construction was completed in August 2016 and included the realignment and interconnection of Pellegrino Road and Hospital Access Road with an accompanying roundabout. Previously, these roads did not connect and had a 10 foot vertical grade difference between them. Package B featured a walkway promenade with pedestrian plaza, landscaping, retaining walls, and street lighting along Hospital Access Road. Parking access control systems with proximity card readers, ticket dispensers, and park and pay stations were installed to process vehicles accessing the parking feilds. To facilitate the flow of traffic to over 1,500 parking stalls on the East Campus, two 45 foot variable message board signs were installed at the entrance driveway to the garage and adjoining parking field. Overall, both projects included a new drainage system, high efficiency LED site and walkway lighting, and infrastructure to support CCTV cameras.

Hempstead Lake has more than 150 years of history in the Long Island region. Beginning its life in 1853, the lake/reservoir was created by Brooklyn Water Works to supply freshwater to the growing population. Unfortunately, the lake’s sandy bottom was unable to hold more than 15 feet of water, half of what the dam structures were designed to contain. In 1925, the Southern State Parkway separated the lake from the park, and Robert Moses recommended transferring the 990 acres of land and 130 acres of lakes from New York City to New York State Parks. When New York State took over, the area around the park had already become fully developed and the lake had been neglected. Its importance as a recreational, educational and environmental asset was buried and seemed lost to the region. Hempstead Lake rests in the Mill River Corridor, and is a key component to the resiliency strategy needed to improve the water quality and decrease stormwater flooding. Environmental co-benefits of the project include water quality improvements; ecological restoration; groundwater recharge; community, social, educational, environmental, and resiliency components. The “Greenway Corridor” follows the original Mill River from the North Shore, bisecting Long Island and ending on the South Shore. The Greenway is part of the “Living by the Bay” resiliency project led by the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR). New York State Parks Hempstead Lake State Park will be the heart of the project, linking communities at the center of the corridor. The park enhancement and improvement amenities will provide pedestrian lake interaction and accessibility; fishing piers; ADA compliant kayack dock & launch; a new 4,000 square foot education and visitor’s center to welcome the community and educate visitors on the history of the park and its important role in the community; Schodack Brook Bridge Crossing will allow users to traverse the entire park from north to south. Other improvements include five miles of multi-use bridle trail improvements; a new 50 car parking field with green infrastructure; enhanced bird watching platforms; and interpretive and educational signage. New and enhanced access points will allow the public and emergency providers easier and faster entry to and from all surrounding neighborhoods.

The project is located adjacent to the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) Ronkonkoma train station, the Long Island Expressway, and Islip-MacArthur Airport; and has an ultimate buildout of approximately 1,450 residential units, 195,000 square feet of retail space, 360,000 square feet for office/medical use, and a 60,000 square feet of flex space (including hospitality, conference, and exhibition space). Comprehensive civil engineering services to date have included Phase I site planning (12 acres, 489 residential units), site grading & drainage design (including green infrastructure features), approximately one mile of water supply distribution system, 4,000 linear feet of sanitary sewer collection system, attention to site access and accessibility (demonstrating compliance with ADA standards for accessible design), preparation of a Life Safety Site Plan (demonstrating compliance with NYS Fire Code fire apparatus access roads), and management/coordination of the overall entitlement process which included the following agencies, among others: Suffolk County Department of Health Services; Suffolk County Department of Public Works; Town of Brookhaven Departments of Planning, Highways, Engineering & Fire Prevention; Ronkonkoma Fire Department; and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. In addition to the listed solutions, our civil engineers are responsible for the complete redesign of several Town of Brookhaven-owned roadways providing access to the development (i.e. Hawkins Avenue, Railroad Avenue, Mill Road, Carrol Avenue and Union Avenue). Roadway designs include horizontal and vertical realignment, drainage design, sanitary sewer collection system, water supply distribution, coordination of dry utilities with respective utility companies, coordination of streetscape features with project landscape architect, etc. Approximately 8, 000 linear feet of roadway will be reconstructed in conjunction with the Ronkonkoma Hub project. We are also working with Tritec Real Estate Company, Niles Bolton Associates and Vidaris (LEED consultant) to prepare documentation to support LEED ND certification. Our efforts include documentation demonstrating the site is an infill site, rainwater management of the 95th percentile storm event, and construction activity pollution prevention plan. Sustainable features during Phase I include bio-retention features (rain gardens and tree wells); areas of permeable pavers; a courtyard incorporating a green roof over a below grade parking structure; electric vehicle charging stations; and dedicated parking for Low Emission Vehicles.

Existing drainage systems in the area were limited and not adequate to drain stormwater runoff. Streets were flooding regularly. Groundwater was approximately two feet below grade which limited the function of the on-site sanitary system for the homes. All parcels were within the zero to two year groundwater travel time to the Great South Bay. Several studies have documented the impacts of excessive nitrogen from sanitary systems in reducing dissolved oxygen levels to the detriment of aquatic life and in supporting harmful algal blooms. In conjunction with this study to provide sanitary sewers, we investigated the feasibility of making storm drainage-related improvements to help address existing flooding conditions related to the proposed sanitary sewer improvements. The report identified potential drainage improvements that could be implemented while the roadways were disturbed during the construction of the sanitary sewers. The drainage improvements included the installation of approximately 4,750 linear feet of porous concrete gutter, along with drainage pipe and underground stone storage space along the shoulders of each of the roadways. In addition, a shallow vegetated stormwater management basin was proposed to temporarily store excess runoff during storm events. This system was incorporated to help alleviate flooding during storm events and improve drainage in this flat, low-lying section of Patchogue. During design, we conducted a utility coordination meeting with representatives of National Grid, the Village DPW and the Suffolk County Water Authority. Our personnel also met with homeowners to review the proposed installation location of the on-site pump station and low pressure sewer connection. Plans were submitted to and approved by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. We worked with the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), Suffolk County and the Village of Patchogue in order to receive funding through two DASNY grants, an Infrastructure Program Grant provided by Suffolk County, and the Village of Patchogue Sewer Fund. Remaining funds were bonded by the Village. We provided a resident engineer during construction. Construction phase services included full time construction inspection, shop drawing review, review of contractor payment requests and periodic meetings. During construction the project scope was expanded to include the abandonment of the existing on site sanitary system at each home.

H2M civil engineers, landscape architects, and land surveyors are currently working on plans for the Phase 1 East Campus parking improvements at Stony Brook University Medical Center. The construction cost for the project is estimated at $12.2 million by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) and is projected to be completed in two phases, with the latter phase completed by August 2014. The project involves the addition of over 650 new parking stalls to the East Campus and the realignment and interconnection of Pellegrino Road and Hospital Access Road, with an accompanying roundabout and structural foundations for a future parking garage. The project will also feature a walkway promenade with pedestrian plaza, landscaping, street lighting, and street furniture along Hospital Access Road. Due to the challenging terrain of the site, there will be significant grading improvements, as the vertical elevation of the site varies by over 30 feet. In addition to the green infrastructure stormwater techniques that will be utilized, the project’s drainage system will be constructed to include drywells with overflow to a new, naturalized recharge area. New road and parking field lighting will be included, as well as a water main extension to the future garage.

H2M recently provided land surveying, engineering, architectural design services, and site planning for a new major upgrade to the Town of North Hempstead’s Manhasset Valley Park. The nearly 18-acre park consisted of mostly passive parkland, including woodlands, a natural grass baseball field, playground, surface parking, with walking trails spread throughout the park. Important environmental features of the park included mature trees, a stream, a pond, and wetlands, which required our engineers to perform wetland mapping, tree identification, and a detailed topographic survey of the site. Constraint and opportunity maps identified potential locations for the new park facilities to minimize impacts to environmentally-sensitive areas. Concept site plan alternatives led to the placement of the new illuminated, multi-purpose synthetic field for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and football; a new fully handicap accessible children’s playground; new ADA compliant bathrooms; and 69-stall parking field. The existing baseball field was reconstructed to make it compliant with Williamsport Little League specifications. Along with design and engineering, H2M provided construction administration services for the new field, a batting cage, site development, lighting and irrigation. Permit support included permits for freshwater wetlands through NYSDEC, a sewer connection permit through the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District, and a backflow prevention permit through the Manhasset Lakeville Water District. The new park was re-dedicated in Spring 2013 with a field at the park named after Jim Brown, NFL Hall of Famer and Manhasset High School Alumnus.